Cosmos
by Biisaiyowaq
Summary: Danny has only ever fixated on two things, Sam and space. With Sam being a person, his ghost half fixated on the other; and when the world faces destruction, he finally realizes it.


I know I shouldn't do this, considering how I have so many unfinished stories already, but I couldn't help myself!

When Danny released the wail on Dan, he felt…incredible. Yes, it was draining and he felt his ghost half beginning to retreat into his human half, but the amount of power radiating from him was intoxicating, He left like superman. But at the same time, he felt as if a sort of vacuum had opened up inside of him, an incompleteness that slowly began to spread. Clockwork had saved his family and saved him from his future, but even that wonderful relief was somewhat downplayed by the feeling that was slowly overtaking him.

He needed something, needed to do something. The feeling had diminished somewhat when he fought Vlad in space, but had soon returned with a vengeance. He had felt something vaguely familiar when his ice powers began to manifest later on, and it gave him an idea. Was this all a symptom of a growing power within him? Some new ability for him to unlock? He spent months training with Sam and Tucker, using his abilities in new and ingenious ways while he tried to discover what was being kept just out of his reach. Everyone was surprised by his sudden enthusiasm, well, everyone but Vlad. His brute strength was unwittingly being refined in his search, and the amount of slip-ups he made began to steadily diminish.

But no matter what element he tried to use, or how hard he searched within himself and tap the growing push in his psych, the longing remained. The amount of time it took for him to capture the invading ghosts shrunk, and his schoolwork improved, If minimally. Everything seemed to be going well for him. And then Vlad struck again. His new ghost hunting team, the "Masters' Blasters" trampled not only his reputation, but his vigor. His need to protect people remained, but the will to do it through ghost hunting began to spiral down into nothingness. When he stepped into the ghost portal again, he felt it was the best option for him. The burden of protecting Amity Park was on other shoulders, he could finally relax. But the loss of his ghost powers wasn't the only thing that happened, the gaping inner hole he had seemed to almost disappear.

It wasn't completely gone, but it had been put on the backburner and could finally be ignored. He could hang out with his friends and not be constantly distracted by the incessant nagging in his mind, the promise of unfulfilled potential. He could focus on school, on his family, and for once actually sleep undisturbed. It was…amazing. But of course, it couldn't last. The announcement of the incoming asteroid, nicknamed the "Disasteroid" by the press, made him realize something. He couldn't just stand back and relax with his friends and family anymore, if he didn't do something now, there wouldn't be anyone left. Vlad's shocking revelation and consequent plan to turn the asteroid intangible was radical and highly unlikely to succeed, but the world needed something to believe in, and for the time being it was Vlad. Danny knew the dangers and the responsibility that awaited him when he stepped into the portal for the third and final time, the pain that would soon be coursing through his body, but he did it anyways. Because the world needed Danny Phantom again.

Stepping, or rather falling, out of the portal, was almost impossible through his screaming nerves, but he managed. And after looking at the smoking glove clad hand he held in front of his face and feeling the familiar yearning begin, he smiled. Then fainted.

Sneaking onto the shuttle that was taking Vlad and his father to the asteroid was difficult, but he managed, thanking god that Vlad didn't have a ghost sense. The only real problem he had the whole flight up was his chest. A painful aching had begun where his heart was in human form, and as he rubbed it and sucked in a breath, he wondered if the constant electrocutions he'd faced were finally catching up with him. Breaking through the atmosphere, he gasped. The pain had flared, sending waves of agony through his entire being, before greatly subsiding, and he wondered if it was a warning not to continue, or a sign to finish what he'd started.

As the spacecraft neared the object of impending doom, the three passengers tensed. It was much larger than expected. Vlad's effort, and subsequent failure, caused a spike of pain to burst from his chest, and the suddenness of it made him gasp and lose his mental grip on invisibility. His father turned around, guns blazing, only to find the ghost boy panting on the ground and clutching at his chest, looking up at him with fear-filled eyes. Jack's gaze softened. In this time of unity, even grudges as old as the one held against this entity could be forgiven, if temporarily. He lowered his gun,

"Ïnviso-bill, wh-" He was cut off by Danny, a slight smile on the latter's face,

"Ït's Phantom, sir. If we're gonna go out, I at least want someone to know my real name." A similar smile wormed its way onto Jack's face,

"Okay then…Phantom." Vlad's voice came in through the speakers, pained and anxious,

"Jack, you have to help me! You wouldn't turn your back on an old friend would you?" Jack turned back to the viewing screen, his face hard,

"An old friend? No. You? _Yes_." But before Jack could push the button that would send them back to earth, Danny grabbed his hand. Vlad looked on, confused at Danny's sudden appearance.

"Little Badger! I know we've had our spats, but-" Danny held up his hand,

"Be quiet Vlad, I think we've all had enough of your words." He turned to Jack, "Let me try." Vlad snorted,

"If I couldn't, what makes you so sure you can? It's comprised entirely out of ectoranium, no ghost can touch it!" Danny whirled on Vlad,

"Shut up! Either close your mouth and get back in here or fly off into the distance, I don't really care!" Frowning but silent, Vlad floated into the ship. "Please Jack," Danny said, pleading with the large man, "Let me try."

"Why not?"He sighed, "You're the last hope we have right now." Danny turned and shot out into space, a strange sense of peace overcoming him as he floated in front of the asteroid. He could do this. He spread his arms and tilted his head back, letting the silence flow through him and wrap around the desire inside him. Here, in his element, he realized he could finally fill the tear in his soul. Rather than try to pull out the power that was residing in him, he pushed.

The urgency of his other attempts was gone, and he finally broke through the invisible barrier keeping him detached from the abundance of energy suddenly at his fingertips. In a bright rush of light, everything changed. He felt the immensity of space, knew the exact number of stars, planets, and distant galaxies. It flowed through his being and for a moment he lost himself in the utter bliss of finally discovering his obsession. The fact that he was alive and could draw power from his own emotions only made the tie stronger than the average ghost's. The universe was his. This must be how Clockwork felt. Almost lazily, he brought the asteroid before him to a halt, its momentum suddenly gone. In the vastness of space, what was a single chunk of rock to him? How could it stand up to its master?

Sending it off in another direction with the merest shard of a thought, he turned to the spaceship floating behind him. The men within were staring at him with gaping mouths, unable to believe the sight that lay before them. Seeing his reflection in the shining surface of the ship, Danny gasped as well. He didn't look like himself anymore. His black jumpsuit, once a shiny latex, had begun to reflect the far reaches of space. It was dark, shining with multitudes of tiny stars and galaxies. His white gloves had turned silvery, and in his hand was a scepter, topped with the twin symbols of sun and moon. But his eyes, once the shining, vibrant green of ectoplasm, had turned into completely dark orbs, matching his suit exactly. Small flecks of silver could be seen throughout them, but that was it. They were…otherworldly. The universe, contained in his head, shone out through them. Clockwork might have been the master of time, but Phantom was the master of the universe itself.

He smiled serenely, the emptiness inside him was finally filled, after a year and a half of tenseness, anxiety, lost sleep, and distraction, he finally felt…complete. Danny floated back up to the viewing panel, watching as Vlad and his father openly stared, their mouths finally closed. Vlad finally choked out what the two were obviously thinking,

"H-how? What, what _happened_ to you?" Danny smiled again,

"I finally understand."His voice, once echoing oddly, seemed to stretch out into the distance, overlapping itself hauntingly as it left his mouth. "Your world is safe, it's time for you to return to your planet." Jack looked at him questioningly,

"Phantom, it's your planet too." Danny face changed, a kind of sorrowfulness overtaking it. He was still completely peaceful, but his demeanor had altered.

"Not anymore. This is my home now. It's where I belong." A wistful smile crossed his face, "But I need you to do something for me before I let you go." Jack nodded, there was hardly anything he _wouldn't_ do for the savior of his world, "Tell Sam…tell Sam I loved her. I always loved her. And Dad," Jack started, his eyes growing as wide as saucers, matching Vlad's perfectly, "Tell mom and Jazz I'll miss them."And with that, Danny waved his hand and the oddly shaped spacecraft turned around, heading back to its home planet. Danny watched it go for a moment before turning to the immense space behind him and vanishing with a small burst of cold, leaving a single frozen teardrop in his wake.

Good? Bad? I need to know! Haven't written in almost a year after all! I've slightly lost faith in my writing skills, haha :P It's a rough copy and I haven't gone over it for mistakes at all, but I like it. Anyways, please review!


End file.
